Gardaí are currently investigating a burglary that occurred at a farm contractor’s yard in Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary in the early hours of Thursday morning (August 25).

Thieves managed to enter the yard in Poulacapple between 2:15a.m and 4:15a.m, and stole a quad; power washer; power tools; compressor; tractor parts; and diesel.

Detectives investigating the incident took fingerprints at what appears to have been a robbery planned by professionals, according to James Kennedy, who works for the contractor.

The group entered the property through the forest, and took down the entire electric gate to escape the yard, leaving the scene unnoticed and without any trace.

Although the property, including a house, is on a main road, nothing was heard or seen during the burglary. As work resumed on the yard at around 7:00a.m, Gardaí were contacted immediately.

“They didn’t take any trailers, so they came prepared. I think they knew the yard before; they happened to know where everything was.

“We have our own shed for tractor parts, another one for compressors. They went through four or five sheds to get what they wanted,” Kennedy, who is also a neighbour of the contractor, said.

A Quad, a power washer and tools were among the stolen items. Image source: James Kennedy

Surveillance cameras did not capture useful footage to identify the thieves, and fingerprints taken at the scene may lead to a “dead end”, Kennedy said.

He now urges farmers to keep an eye out as he believes that these were professionals, and that “they knew what they were at” entering the farm contractor’s yard.